AREA PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Grady’s Rodriquez carries big load, finishes with huge night

1 / 3

Back to Gallery

Prior to the season, Grady’s Jordan Rodriquez asked his team in an all-players’ meeting what they wanted to accomplish. They told him that they wanted to make the playoffs.

He told the Wildcats what they needed to do and how hard they would have to work to accomplish that goal.

This season, Rodriquez has been trying his best to lead his team to its goals with the way he’s been running the football, one year after sitting out because of a devastating knee injury.

In Friday’s 62-52 wild, non-district victory over Robert Lee, Rodriquez enjoyed his best game since his return -- when he rushed for 318 yards and seven touchdowns on 29 carries. He also added four tackles from his strongside linebacker position on defense.

Thanks to that huge performance, Rodriquez is the Reporter-Telegram’s Area Football Player of the Week.

Rodriquez didn’t even play the full game as he had to leave in the fourth quarter with a tweaked hamstring, according to Grady coach Brent Lucas.

Rodriquez said he’s just sore and should be all right for next week’s District 6-1A Division opener against O’Donnell.

He also credited his teammates for helping have a big night.

“I just praise my blockers; they’re the reason I get all the yards,” Rodriquez said. “Without them, I know I wouldn’t be where I am right now.”

Lucas said the team had to lean on Rodriquez a little more Friday when fellow running back Caden Hayes suffered an ankle injury. Lucas said Rodriquez and Hayes do a good job of complementing each other in the backfield and keeping opposing defense off balance.

“When Caden went out in the first series, we put it all on Jordan’s back,” Lucas said. “He went crazy on (Robert Lee).

“Everything that we do on offense, he has a big part in it. If he’s not running the ball, he’s blocking. When the Hayes kid is running, he’s the one blocking for him. And he has to play on defense as well.”

Rodriquez downplayed having to take on a bigger load in the game.

“I just had to step up and be a bigger impact in the running game,” said Rodriquez, who now has 1,185 yards rushing and 26 total touchdowns this season. “I just try to do everything I can to be successful in everything we do.”

Rodriquez said while sitting out last year was tough, he said he’s become a better player and leader because of it.

“Going through my rehab has really helped me to be patient and has helped me get everybody involved on the field and off,” he said. “I felt I’ve improved a lot, and I try to help Coach Lucas out by telling people when they need to do, to be there for them, to correct them and to praise them when they do well.”

The Wildcats, who are off to their best start in years at 5-1, look to continue their success into district and hopefully into the postseason. Rodriquez said they just have to take each game one at a time.

“I’m very grateful for the success we’ve had,” he said. “I have this group of kids around me that want to work hard. Nobody knows how much time and effort we’ve put in and how much we’ve been growing since the first week of the season. I know I have their back and they have my back.”

oleroy@mrt.com | Follow Oscar on Twitter: @OLeRoy_MRT

Other notable performances from last week:

-Midland Christian junior QB Riggs McDonald completed 12 of 24 passes for 228 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in a 28-24 come-from-behind win over San Antonio Cornerstone. Junior WR Kage Gilbreath caught five of those passes for 141 yards and two TDs.

-Garden City senior Cesar Chavez rushed for two TDs, caught a TD pass, threw a TD pass and was active at linebacker with 16 credited tackles in the Bearkats’ 34-23 win over No. 1 Strawn.

-In Greenwood’s 56-14 district win over Lamesa, the Rangers got a pair of outstanding rushing performances. Sophomore Trey Cross rushed for 174 yards and three TDs on 10 carries, while junior Ryan Snodrass added 146 yards rushing and two TDs on 11 carries.